The present invention is generally related to door handle and latch mechanisms for automotive doors and more particularly to a compact door handle assembly usable with thin vehicle doors and one that lessens the intrusion of handle parts through the exterior sheet metal or skin of the vehicle door into the inner volume of the door.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an exterior door handle assembly in which the axis of rotation of a bell crank is located outside of the sheet metal of the door. It is another object of the present invention to provide a door handle assembly that minimizes the intrusion of door handle parts through the outer skin of the door and into the interior space of the door.
Accordingly the invention comprises: an exterior door handle assembly adapted to be secured to an exterior surface of a vehicle door and when activated able to move a remotely located latch to an unlatched position, the door handle assembly comprising: a moveable first body member and stationary second body member, a bell crank movable with the first body member and adapted to be connected to the remotely located latch, the bell crank configured to rotate about an axis of rotation located within the second body member and which is exterior of the exterior surface of the door.
Many other objects and purposes of the invention will be clear from the following detailed description of the drawings.